Sweater Thief
by PennyKelly
Summary: It started with a breakup, an order from Mrs. Weasley, and a stolen sweater. New Year's Eve is not going to be as lonely at Hermione or Charlie initially thought. Charmione. EWE.
1. Quarter Past Seven

**A/N:** I had a number of ideas for Tasting Fire that I ultimately realized wouldn't really work in the world I was building in that story. Sweater thief was intended to be done in 2-3 shots, but might be a bit longer. We'll see where it goes.

 **Disclaimer:** As always, I do not own or profit from Harry Potter or its related properties in any way.

 **Quarter Past Seven**

Walking out of the floo into her flat Charlie was shocked to find Hermione with an open bottle of firewhisky in her hand, wearing only her knickers and an oversized knit sweater. She was a bit unsteady on her feet and looked like she'd been crying. He stepped forward in time to catch her as she stumbled into the coffee table.

"Where are your trousers, Hermione?" he asked, at a loss for anything else to say. He wasn't accustomed to seeing the otherwise prim and proper witch in such a state.

"Don't need them." she shrugged, taking a long pull from the bottle before offering it to him. He shook his head.

"What do you mean 'don't need them'?" he demanded, trying to avert his eyes from her lower half.

"Not going." she shrugged, avoiding his eyes.

"What? Why? Mum will have my hide if I don't bring you back for the party! It's New Year's Eve, you're not spending it alone in your flat." he crossed his arms over his chest, not wanting to know what the Weasley matriarch would do to him if he didn't accomplish his task of fetching her surrogate daughter. There was a long silence before she suddenly burst into tears.

"He dumped me, Charlie. That bloody arse dumped me." she bit out. Charlie was taken aback, crossing slowly to her and reaching out to rub her back.

"Viktor dumped you?" He whispered.

"By bleedin' owl." she sniffled as she took a long pull from the bottle and flopped herself onto the couch, the sweater riding up to reveal even more of her thighs. Charlie swallowed hard, trying to avert his eyes. He focused on her shoulder, noticing a small hole in the knit of the too large sweater. A hole that looked slightly singed...

"Hold on, is that my sweater?" he demanded. He'd been looking for it for weeks now. He loved his mum's yearly Christmas sweaters. This one happened to be his favourite.

"Maybe… probably… yes." she fumbled, pulling it out in front of her so she could visually confirm it was the sweater in question.

"How did you get my Christmas sweater?" he noted the slight flush in her cheeks at the question.

"You loaned it to me at the pub for the twins' birthday. Ginny had just spilled red wine all over my dress and everyone has too blasted to remember a cleaning charm. I forgot to give it back." she admitted, worrying her bottom lip.

"I thought I'd lost it. Mum will be happy to know it didn't get torched by a dragon." Charlie chuckled, sitting on the armchair closest to her head. He gently pulled a piece of lint from the shoulder.

"Now, you say you're not going to the party anymore. Why? Just because that arse dumped you? So what. Go anyway. You don't need him."

"Easy for you to say. You have a date. You don't have to explain to your mum why you're suddenly alone. I don't want to be the next victim of Molly Weasley's matchmaking service." she pointed out, taking yet another large swallow from the bottle. He was slightly impressed at how much the little witch was able to put away without slurring.

"Err… actually, I don't." he swallowed and broke eye contact with her nervously.

"Have a date that is. Mum doesn't know yet, but Lisa and I aren't together anymore." he rubbed a hand behind his neck, blushing slightly at the admission.

"What?" Hermione's ears perked and she sat up to look at him. He squirmed uncomfortably under her probing gaze.

"We've been broken up for nearly a month. I was just going to go stag tonight. Figured it was time to tell the family anyway. I think they're starting to notice I don't bring her back with me anymore. It was a lot easier to hide these things when I was still in Romania. The Wales reserve is great, but I've lost a lot of privacy." he looked embarrassed by the revelation.

"Oh." she let her eyes wander, settling on something just passed him.

"We could go together if you want. Tell mum we're each other's dates given the circumstances," he suggested, he didn't want to be the sole subject of his mother's inquiry either.

"I suppose we could do that…" she trailed off, the wheels of her mind turning rapidly.

"Give me ten minutes." she sighed and set the bottle on the coffee table.

"You mean you aren't ready to go now?" he teased.

"In just a sweater and knickers? You're joking, right?" she laughed as she crossed into her small kitchen and rooted a potion bottle out of the cabinet, knocking it back in one smooth movement. The grimace that followed confirmed for him it was a sobering draught.

"Just a sweater? Granger, do you mean to tell me you've got nothing on under there?" Charlie's eyebrows shot up in shock.

"Guess you'll never know!" Hermione winked and darted toward her bedroom, flinging the sweater in his face as she closed the door behind her. Charlie thought he caught the sight of bare skin and the flash of a large tattoo. He caught a whiff of vanilla and cinnamon as he untangled himself from the soft grey yarn. He wondered if she really hadn't been wearing anything under the sweater, excited by the possibility.

Hermione emerged several minutes later dressed in a skin-tight black crew neck and dark jeans. She was still zipping up the side of a pair of high heeled boots that stopped just below the knee. She had twisted her hair into a messy bun and applied a light dusting of makeup. Save for the cherry red of her lips, he would have thought it was just her natural face.

"Right. Let's go," she announced, sticking her wand through her hair and crossing toward the floo. He couldn't help but notice how great her arse looked in those jeans as he obediently followed.


	2. Eight Thirty

**A/N:** Yeah, so, this grew legs. It's going to be at least five parts now. Possibly more. I can't help it, I'm having too much fun with this. I can't work on anything until after Monday, so it may be a bit longer before the next bit comes out. I do not have a set update schedule for this story, though I've loosely set one week as my goal. Chapters will get longer beginning with the next one.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own or in anyway profit from Harry Potter or its related properties.

 **Eight Thirty**

"There you two are! I was wondering how long it could possibly take for Charlie to fetch you." Molly hugged her enthusiastically, as she always did.

"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley! Time got away from me, I wasn't ready when Charlie popped in," Hermione fibbed slightly, not wanting to admit she'd been well on her way to getting blackout drunk alone in her flat.

"Molly, dear, you know you can call me Molly! Now, where is that young man of yours? Is he coming along separately, I know he doesn't live in England. Where is it he's from again, Bulgaria?" She searched over Hermione's shoulder as if she was somehow hiding the man behind her person.

"Yes, Viktor is from Bulgaria. He isn't coming, however, as he and I are no longer…"

"Oh! You didn't break up, did you? You were such a lovely pair…" Molly interrupted, pulling her into another crushing hug.

"It's alright Molly, it's just still new. It only happened today." She explained, pulling away from the older woman's intense concern.

"Poor dear… Well, there's nothing to be done for it now. Now, Charlie, where is Lisa? You never did say when she would be arriving…" she whirled on her son, grabbing his arm as he tried to slink past her.

"Ah well, seeing as we haven't been together for some time now, I don't imagine she's coming…" he grimaced as he saw his mother's eyes widen and dart between him and Hermione.

"When were you planning on telling me you two were no longer seeing one another?" She demanded, fisting her hands on her hips.

"Well… tonight I suppose. It's not as if I'm home all the time to tell you these things. And it didn't seem worth owling you over…"

"Charlie Weasley, the state of your love life is something I expect to be updated on, especially when we see you so rarely!" She chastised him, pinching his arm in annoyance.

"I suppose you'll be each other's dates tonight then? Seeing as you're both here alone…"

"That's what we were thinking, yes," Hermione answered before Charlie could, taking him by the hand to pull him out of his mother's grasp.

"Alright then. Everyone else is already here. Get yourselves some food, there's plenty to go around. The twins set up a bar in the back." She shooed them away finally, redirecting her attention to a heavily pregnant Fleur who was having difficulty easing herself into an armchair. They made their way to the kitchen as instructed, the hard part now over.

Predictably, Molly had gone all out for the party spread. There were so many things to choose from. Hermione had no idea where to start. She pulled a plate from the stack and filled it with a mix of sweet and savory options. She hadn't realised how hungry she was until now. Charlie wasn't far behind her, filling his plate high with the bite-size offerings. Once they'd made their selections they stepped out into the yard where the rest of the party seemed to be gathered under a tent similar to the one used for weddings. The twins had set up a bar on the far side and were busy mixing brightly coloured drinks for the guests.

Hermione set her plate down on one of the many small tables set up around the perimeter. She was pleasantly surprised to hear that The Weird Sisters were playing and not Celestina Warbeck as she assumed Molly would have picked. She guessed that Bill had been in charge of selecting the music as she knew he was a fan of the high energy group. She couldn't help herself from moving her hips with the music and starting to sway in time.

"I take it you're a fan?" Charlie set his plate next to her's and raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"I love rock music. Granted, I'm much more familiar with the Muggle groups, but this is just as good." She laughed lightly, making her way toward the bar.

"'Mione!" She turned and was enveloped in a crushing hug from Ginny Weasley.

"Umphh." She couldn't breathe in the tiny girl's grip.

"Merlin, Gin! Let her breathe!" Harry teased, pulling her off and wrapping Hermione in a much lighter hug.

"Harry, Gin." She acknowledged them both, lighting up at her friends' faces.

"Where's Viktor?" Harry asked, turning to see if he'd missed the man. Ginny's mouth went wide she saw the blush creep into Hermione's face.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" she threw herself around Hermione again, squeezing impossibly tight.

"What happened?" Harry asked, brows knit in concern.

"They aren't together." Charlie interrupted.

"What? When?" He looked like a deer in headlights, shocked by the news.

"Today, but I'd really rather not talk about it."

"We won't talk about it then." He promised, giving her shoulder a supportive pat and peeling Ginny away.

"Thanks, Charlie. I have a feeling that is going to come up a lot tonight…" she threaded her arm through his with a sad sigh. He studied her for a moment, worrying his bottom lip.

"Don't be mad, please?" He asked suddenly, pulling out his wand and casting a Sonorus.

"If I could have everyone's attention for a brief moment?" There was a startled pause in the conversation and commotion that surrounded them. Hermione felt her cheeks get hot as she realised what was about to happen.

"I'm going to go ahead and embarrass both of us now so we don't have to relive it every time we speak to somebody. Hermione and I are both here single. And that's all the information about it you're going to get about it all tonight." There was a number of gasps and shocked expressions before she smacked Charlie in the chest, cheeks redder than they'd ever been.

"I need a drink." She mumbled and stalked away from him toward the bar. To her great relief, George had a cocktail waiting for her.

She downed the whole thing rather quickly, deciding she was going back to Plan A from earlier in the day. She was going to get so drunk she'd forget all about Viktor Krum and her humiliation.


	3. Nine

**A/N:** We're about halfway through this mini-fic now. If you like Charmione pairings and haven't checked out Tasting Fire yet, that one will be running much longer. It's a totally different take on Charlie than this story. Lots of plot and lots of smut.

 **Warning:** Drugs and alcohol.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own or in anyway profit from Harry Potter or its related properties.

 **Nine**

"Someone's feeling brave. Not just anybody would trust a drink mixed by George without asking what was in it…" Charlie attempted to tease her. She leveled him with a gaze, making him snap his jaw shut.

"I think you may have dug yourself a hole you can't easily climb out of older brother." George set an equally obnoxiously bright blue drink in front of him as he swapped Hermione's empty glass for a full one.

"Rough day?" George teased, watching Hermione tentatively sip from her second drink.

"You could say that. Your brother isn't exactly helping." She groaned, elbowing a sheepish looking Charlie in the ribs.

"That's Charlie for you though, love. Always was the one to pull the bandage off first and warn you after." He laughed heartily, mixing himself up a drink.

"Least you won't be the only one getting weird looks all night?" Charlie offered, giving his own drink a sniff before tentatively taking a sip.

"Small comfort I suppose. Least I won't have to tell the story ten more times tonight." She sighed and swirled the ice in her glass, noting the way it seemed to glow.

"What are these anyway, George?" Charlie asked.

"Electric Lemonades. Gin got a taste for them at that Muggle pub and asked us to whip some up for the party tonight. The ice is charmed to make them glow in the dark, little something we're testing out for the shop. Fred's rather proud of them."

"Does your mother know you're testing product on the guests?" Hermione cocked a brow at him with a smirk.

"Not as such. You aren't going to go telling on us now, are you Granger? Been a long time since you were a Prefect having to chase after us…"

"I won't tell your mum. So long as you keep this glass filled until I've had enough." She challenged.

"And you...you're now responsible for me. If I die it'll be your fault." She prodded Charlie in the chest with a finger, glaring at him as she did so.

"I supposed I earned that…" he sighed and finished his drink, gratefully taking another from his younger brother.

It did not take long for the familiar warmth of tipsiness to take over. Hermione let herself relax into the feeling of the alcohol. George had refilled their glasses before disappearing with Angelina, leaving them a pitcher of pre-mixed cocktails to share in his absence. Hermione was fairly certain he'd let up on the alcohol when he'd made the larger batch. Not that she blamed him, she knew how quickly she went from pleasantly inebriated to messy drunk. She silently wondered just how drunk she could get away with being at what was essentially a family function.

No one besides Charlie had tried to speak to her since his little announcement. She wasn't entirely surprised. It was no small shock then when she nearly jumped out of her skin as Bill suddenly grumbled into her ear.

"Care to join me, Hermione? I know it's not usually your thing, but…" He was holding a small glass pipe in his hand. She didn't need to see it twice to know what it was for.

"Dear gods yes." She groaned with approval as she followed the oldest Weasley boy into the treeline, yanking Charlie behind her.

"Fleur still lets you smoke, Bill?" Charlie teased as they followed the familiar trail to the lake where they'd be far enough away to avoid being caught out by their parents.

"What Fleur doesn't know won't kill her. With the baby coming so soon I won't be able to get away with this for much longer. She already won't let me ride my motorbike anymore. I'm not letting her take this away until the baby is actually born." He laughed, dropping onto a patch of dirt not far from the water's edge.

"No Harry or Gin tonight?" Hermione was surprised not to find Bill's usual smoking companions already there.

"Gin's a bit too in her cups at this point, Harry's trying to sober her up enough to make it to midnight." Bill shook his head with an amused grin.

"Didn't want to ask anyone else? Aren't you usually the one supplying the entire party?" Charlie teased.

"Thought I'd try and save this one for a few minutes given what you subjected her to tonight." Indicating Hermione with his head, raising an eyebrow in Charlie's direction.

"Sorry again, I really thought it would be easier." He blushed heavily this time, clearly regretting his decision.

"It's really okay, Charlie. Nothing to be done for it now." She sighed and reached out to put an arm around him, pulling him closer to her side.

Bill was already passing her the pipe and a Muggle lighter, letting a trail of smoke out into the starlit sky. They passed it back and forth in silence until they'd run out of what little Bill had brought. They leaned back, watching the clouds move slowly across the sky, thankful it hadn't snowed despite the cold. Hermione shivered at the thought.

"Cold?" Charlie asked, feeling her tremor next to him.

"We can head back if you want. I shouldn't leave Fleur alone for too long…" Bill started to get up.

"I'm a little chilled, but I'm not ready to go back just yet." Hermione rolled onto her stomach, leaning on her elbows and staring at Charlie.

"Don't be too long, mum will notice," Bill warned, leaving the two of them alone.

"Want to go for a swim? I know a charm to heat the water." Hermione stared at Charlie, eyes hooded and dilated.

"What?" He smiled, confused by the question.

"Come on, it'll be fun." She pushed onto her knees, pulling her top off over her head. Charlie swallowed hard and watched as she stood and removed her boots, socks, and jeans.

"Up." She laughed and pulled him to his feet in just her bra and knickers.

"Now off…" She gestured at Charlie's clothes before refocusing her attention on the water and mumbling a series of spells he didn't recognize.

She ran at the water, immediately wading out chest deep before dunking herself under. Charlie watched in amazement, standing on the shore in just his shorts for a few moments before following her in with a grin. He took a few laps to try and calm his nerves and hide the beginnings of an erection. He was fairly certain she wouldn't appreciate the sentiment after Krum and his own earlier cockup. Feeling less like a live wire, he stood where the water was more shallow and wiped his hair from his face, briefly regretting that he hadn't tied it back tonight. Hermione was standing close enough to reach, back to him, with her head tipped back as she watched the stars.

His eyes drifted down her back, hovering over the large bird inked across her skin. He was transfixed by the dancing reds and oranges of the magical image as it flapped and ruffled its feathers. He didn't realise he'd reached out to stroke the image until she spun to see what was behind her.

"Sorry…" His eyes were unfocused, voice scratchy as she sized him up.

"It's alright, you just startled me." She smiled at his nervousness, finding it all oddly endearing.

"Can I see it?" he bit his bottom lip in anticipation as she nodded and turned around to give him a better view.

"I never would have pegged you for such a large tattoo…" He couldn't resist ghosting his fingers over the bird, watching as it seemed to react to the attention.

"Seemed like the thing to do. If I was only going to get one, I wanted to make it count." She explained with a small shrug, making the bird flap its great wings.

"Why only one?" He stood up straight again as she turned to face him.

"Promised my mum if I ever got a tattoo I'd only get one. I did not, however, specify how large that one might be." She smirked, whiskey eyes dancing with mischief in a way he'd never seen from her. He wondered, briefly, if that slight spark of rebelliousness is what the twins liked so much about her despite how often she thwarted their plans, even now.

"It's beautiful. Why a phoenix?"

"Felt fitting after the war. I wanted to rise from the ashes and be reborn into something different."

"Oh?" He was surprised by her answer. He'd not put much thought into the twin dragons on his left bicep, he just liked dragons.

"Everyone thinks they know me, but they don't." She crossed her arms over her chest, worrying her bottom lip.

"Like the tattoo or the smoking?" He smirked and splashed her to break the tension.

"Or why I was with Viktor for so long." She laughed and splashed him back.

"Why?" He stopped in his retaliation, this was not an admission he'd expected.

"This is so embarrassing…" She buried her face in her hands, but not before he saw the tinge of pink to her cheeks.

"You don't have to tell me…" He soothed, reaching out to pull her hands from her face. She put her hands down and searched his face, continuing to chew on her bottom lip.

"It was the sex." She breathed.

"What?" He nearly jumped at the sudden truth.

"It was the sex. Best sex I've ever had. And trust me, I wasn't hurting for it after the war. He was just the best." She shrugged, stepping slightly closer to him in the water.

"I...uh… I don't know how to respond to that." Charlie couldn't take his eyes away from her face. Her cheeks were flushed for a different reason now, her eyes dilated with more than just the weed as she ran the tip of her tongue between her lips.

"You could prove me wrong." She purred as she reached out to link her hands behind his neck.


	4. Ten Forty-Five

**A/N:** Quick and smutty update for you. Going into an extra long performance weekend so wanted to get you something sooner rather than later. I hope you enjoy! We're nearly to midnight, which is where I intend to end this little adventure.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own or in any way profit from Harry Potter or its related properties.

 **Ten Forty-Five**

"Hermione…" he shook his head slightly, the growing bulge in his shorts at odds with his mind.

"Don't overthink this. It doesn't have to be some big puzzle. I need this. I want you to fuck me. Please, Charlie?" she whispered in his ear, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Fucking hell…" he groaned, grasping her hips in his hands pulling her closer.

He closed the distance between them and drank in the energy that seemed to radiate from her body. She was absolutely intoxicating to his already fuzzy senses. He slid his tongue easily into her mouth, tasting the leftover smoke and alcohol on her breath. She pressed into him, mouth and hands hungry for more contact. He slid his hands to her arse, massaging through her wet knickers. She broke their kiss and leaned her head back with a little moan. He growled lowly and latched onto her neck as his hands continued to wander. She wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him positioned in the crook of her neck as he bit and sucked at the silky skin. He kissed and licked her, soothing the rough treatment of his teeth. He moved a hand to her chest, groping through her bra and nipple pebbled with cold underneath.

"It's too cold here. Take me to your room?" she asked, a neediness heavy in her voice. He smiled against her neck, proud that he was causing this reaction in her.

She didn't need to ask him twice. He'd been imagining fucking her since he'd caught a glimpse of her bare skin and tattoo when she'd thrown his sweater back in his face. He visualized her under him, on top of him, anywhere and everywhere really… He lifted her onto his hips, kissing her deeply as he carried her back to shore where their things lay abandoned. He set her down and they hurriedly gathered everything together, eyes bright with anticipation. Tossing his clothes over one shoulder he pulled her to him and spun them away.

They tumbled together onto the bed, personal items discarded in a heap on the floor, dizzy both from the apparating and from lust. He sought out the soft skin of her neck; biting, licking, and sucking on the flesh as she moaned appreciatively. She tangled her hands in his ginger tresses, guiding his head away from her neck and back to her mouth. Their tongues danced together as she arched up into him. Her skin was rapidly drying in the heat of the room, the cold damp of her knickers startling him slightly.

She was not as gentle as he had expected. Then again, she was turning out to be very different than his expectations in many ways already. She scratched his skin and tugged at his hair as she nipped at his lips with her teeth. She growled as he returned the favor, hands grabbing her roughly and wrestling with the wet clothing.

"These go away now…" he grumbled, hooking his fingers in the waistband and pulling back to take them off her. She followed suit with her bra, tossing it to the floor before reaching forward and tugging at his shorts.

"These too…" she breathed, watching as his erection came free of the damp fabric. He worried that she didn't like what she saw when her face went unreadable. He tensed, unsure how to respond.

He was not expecting the low moan that came from under her breath. She knocked him onto his back and latched onto his neck for a few seconds, furiously marking him with a low growl. His cock twitched at the animal noise, his hands grasping her hips tighter than he normally would have done. The less gentle he was, he noticed, the more she seemed to like it. He did not have the control to slowly explore her body the way he normally would have, her arousal was palpable in the air and he couldn't take it any longer. He flipped them in one swift movement, lining himself up with her opening and slamming into her.

"Sweet Merlin!" she cried as she dug her nails into his shoulders. He continued to drill her into the mattress as her responses got louder. He couldn't think clearly enough to remember a good silencing charm and hoped nobody would find their way near enough to his old third-floor bedroom to hear her. Every growl, moan, cry, and incomprehensible muttering spurring him on.

"You're so fucking wet…" he groaned as she dug her heels into his back. He struggled to maintain control as he felt her muscles contract around him.

"I'm going to cum…" she breathed as he continued his frenzied pace, goal clear now that he knew she was so close. It only took a few more thrusts to send her over the edge, crying his name loudly in his ear as he collapsed onto her with his own release.

He panted on top of her for several long moments, body spent with the intensity of their short tryst. He slid out of her and planted a kiss on her temple before rolling onto his back beside her.

"Sorry…" he panted.

"For what?" she forced out between her own gasps for air.

"I don't normally do quickies. But, Good Godric, you make the best noises."

"Charlie, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the way you shag. Trust me. No complaints over here." She rolled onto her side to face him, setting her palm gently on his chest.

"Yeah?" he smiled at her, placing his own hand over hers.

"Yeah." she smiled back, leaning over and kissing him soundly on the lips.


	5. Eleven Thirty

**A/N:** I'm not going to be able to get the final chapter out by midnight as I had hoped. Maybe a small miracle with occur and I can pull a last second session before I head to festivities this evening. I'm still mostly on hiatus while I deal with the fallout of ending my engagement and relocating. I am not abandoning anything!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own or in any way profit from Harry Potter or its related properties.

 **Eleven-Thirty**

Their lips danced lazily a little while longer. Neither escalating beyond the occasional touching of tongues. She felt her body tingle happily and wondered if it was a result of their tumble or a side effect from the drugs and alcohol. He was not Viktor. There really was no comparing the two so far as she was concerned. While sex with Viktor had always been passionate and amazing, it was entirely different from what she had just experienced with Charlie. It may have been quick, but they'd managed to hit a rhythm instinctually she'd had to work to find with other lovers. Her mind flitted across a series of thoughts she was not currently in a state to entertain.

"You're thinking. Stop it." Charlie mumbled against her lips, running his fingers through her tangle of hair with careful movements.

"How do you know I'm thinking?" she murmured back.

"You tense up when you get lost in thought. Always have. Just be here for a few more minutes with me, whatever it is can wait…" he chuckled lightly and rolled himself on top of her before she could respond.

He licked down the length of her body and spread her legs open to him. Without much preamble, he lapped and swirled his tongue over and into her. She could feel him smirking against her as he kissed her thighs in response to her moans. Achingly slow, he manipulated his fingers inside her. Gentle at first, then rougher as he figured out what she liked best. He used the whole of his mouth to suck and nibble her clit as his fingers worked deeper.

"Good Godric, Charlie!" she cried out as she came, digging her fingernails into the sheets beside her as her back arched off the bed.

He climbed back up her body and kissed her deeply before trailing his lips over her chin and around to the space her shoulder and neck joined. He nibbled lightly, drawing a low moan from her lips.

"Charlie…" she protested, weakly.

"Hmmm?" he continued to kiss and bite at her, smirking each time she vocalized in response.

She couldn't resist the urge to grip her fingers in his hair and encourage him further. Surely they had time for one more round before they'd be missed?

Sensing her desire to continue he positioned himself and thrust easily into her, his lips not leaving off their exploration as he set a slow and steady pace. She tried to buck and squirm against him, craving the more frantic coupling from before, but he stopped each time she tried with a grunt of disapproval. The slow building warmth inside her was unexpected, the measured and somewhat tortuous pace drawing out each sensation more than she'd ever experienced. He pushed back to watch her as her responses became more ragged.

"Sometimes slow can be a good thing." he teased, moving his hand over to slowing manipulate her clit.

It did not take long for her to come undone beneath him once he increased his speed. He smiled as he watched her face flush and contort in ecstasy as she orgasmed.

"Beautiful," he muttered, leaning over and kissing her gently before gripping her hips a little tighter and taking her a little rougher than before to reach his own completion.

"Shite." Hermione panted as he flopped down next to her again.

"There is so much more I could do to you…but I think we'd better get dressed again and make our way back to the party. If people aren't wondering where we are by now they will be soon."

"Uh huh." She snuggled into his side instead, completely ignoring his attempts to get her to rise.

"Or, I guess, we could stay here a while." he relented, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer.


	6. Midnight

**A/N:** I'm back! Sorry it took so long to get everything back on track so I could start writing and posting again. I appreciate how patient everybody was with this. I know it's short, but it's the ending I'd always planned on for this. Since a few people on both platforms have requested it, this will be getting a sequel called Slow Burn.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own or in any way profit from Harry Potter or its related properties.

 **Midnight**

Hermione roused to the sounds of shouts and a countdown beginning somewhere in the distance. She could feel something tighten around her and hear someone sigh contentedly as she began to stir. It took a few moments to remember that it was New Year's Eve and she'd gone to bed with Charlie. She spun into his embrace and patted his chest to wake him.

"Charlie?" she whispered as he began to stir.

"Hmmm?" he pulled her closer, dragging her halfway over the top of him.

"We're missing the countdown. Everyone will notice we're missing!" Her tone was more alarmed than even she expected. It occurred to her that she actually didn't care all that much if people noticed she was missing, or that they may assume she and Charlie had run off somewhere.

"No, they won't. Bill will have told them you weren't feeling well or some such. Don't worry about it." Charlie rolled them both so that he was leaning over the top of her, forcing her to stifle a giggle.

"Bill?"

"He has a way of knowing what's going on without knowing what's going on." Charlie shrugged as he cocked his head to better hear where in the countdown they were.

"Oh."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Happy new year." He leaned down and kissed her gently, hoping that a bit of New Year's magic was being worked between them. He had heard that whatever you were doing at midnight would be what you would do for the rest of the year. He wouldn't mind making a habit of kissing the woman underneath him.

"Happy new year, Charlie." She whispered back to him as he pulled away from her.

"Do you want to go back down to the party or do you want to stay here?"

"If it's all the same to you, I think I'd rather stay here. I'm sobering up now and don't much feel like dealing with all our drunk friends and relatives." She chuckled as she reached up to twist a strand of his hair through her fingers.

"Mum will expect you for brunch in the morning anyhow. May as well stay here…" he trailed kisses down the side of her neck once more, smirking at the contented sigh they elicited.

"I don't know that I can go another round, Charlie…" Hermione warned.

"S'alright, I just like kissing you."

"Is that so?" He could hear the smile in her voice even though he couldn't see it from his position buried in the crook of her neck.

"Yes. You taste delicious and you smell like vanilla and cinnamon. What's not to enjoy?"

"You're pretty tasty yourself, Mr. Weasley." She shocked him by playfully licking his cheek and bursting into a fit of giggles.

The tussled in the sheets for a bit, licking cheeks and tickling to make each other laugh. Several minutes later, out of breath and relaxed, Charlie settled in next to her on the bed. Hermione wriggled her way under his arm and partway onto his chest with a happy sigh. It wasn't long before they both drifted off to sleep.

Hermione woke slowly, now recognising the scent of the man beneath her head. She did not particularly want to leave the bed, but she was getting cold in the winter chill that had settled in the room. Carefully, she slipped from under Charlie's arm and sought out the mixed pile of clothing they'd discarded the night before. Without much thought, she pulled the old sweater she'd made a habit of sleeping in the last few months over the top of her head and cast a cleansing charm on her knickers before hiking them back up.

"Everything okay? You're not sneaking off are you?" Charlie asked groggily.

"Just got a little cold. I'm not going anywhere." She promised as she slid easily back into bed next to him.

"Is that my sweater?" He chuckled sleepily at her.

"I like to think of it as 'our' sweater at this point, I have been sleeping in it the last several months."

"Well, if it's going to belong to both of us we'll need to set up some kind of custody arrangement. It is my favourite sweater after all." He propped himself on one elbow next to her and gently tugged at the collar to reveal the love bites he'd left the night before. He lightly ghosted his fingers over them and watched as she shivered beneath his touch.

"Trying to get me out of it again so soon?"

"Moreso enjoying the sight of you in it. I'd apologise for the love bites, but I'm not sorry."

"Don't be. How else is anyone supposed to know I'm with you now?"

"Are… are you with me now?" Charlie sat up in a hurry, shocked by her statement. She followed, fidgeting nervously with her hands as she spoke.

"I like you. I think you could be good for me. And after last night I thought…" Charlie held his hand up for her to stop before carefully tugging her closer to him by the front of the sweater. He kissed her soundly before leaning his forehead against hers.

"You're already on your way to stealing my heart."

"And your sweater?" She teased with a lopsided grin.

"And my sweater." He laughed before kissing her again, his wish from the night before already starting to come true.


End file.
